Box or Not - A Word Formation Game

ABSTRACT

“Box or Not” provides a type of word formation game which involves a new approach to these types of games. The first new aspect is the formation of the “box” in this game. The sequence of forming, or attempting to form a box out of letters, by adding letters to the beginning, or end of a word, and/or adding letters on top of a word, while following the rules laid out in the game is a new feature that this game affords its players. This is also a unique rule because it affords a player, during their turn, to add onto all of the other words present on the playing surface at their turn.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The basic premise of all word formation games is the way in which they challenge their players to reach into their vocabularies and form words, many of which are uncommon in everyday language. Also, many of these games involve a great deal of strategy when it comes to playing them, where a player must either try to accumulate the maximum number of points per round or devise a way in which they can use up all of their cards or tiles in a given round.

Quiddler is a word game that draws on a player's ability to combine letters into words. Players must form their entire hand into words attempting to use the letters with the largest point values. Quiddler challenges one to do this first in rounds of varying numbers of cards; the rounds go from three cards (round one) up to ten cards increasing in increments of one. A bonus is given to the players that form the longest and most words in each round. The average game lasts anywhere from 20-40 minutes, which makes it enjoyable since it does not last too long.

Scrabble, much like Quiddler, also draws on an individual's ability to combine letters into words. Bonus spaces exist all over the board in Scrabble, which are able to be used to a player's advantage during the game. In Scrabble, however, once a player has started the game by laying down a word, any other letters laid down on the board must be played off of a word already down on the board, resembling a crossword in nature. The game continues until a player has used up all of their letters. Once this is done, point totals are added up and the player with the largest point total wins.

At the same time, traditional crosswords are a great example of a type of word formation game. A crossword is a puzzle in which numbered squares are filled in with words going vertically and horizontally. Clues are given to a player about a certain word, and either going across or vertically, the player must fill in the word on the crossword. At the same time, words can be built off of one another. For example, the last letter of one word can also be the last letter of another word. Crosswords are a favorite pastime for many adults, and can be found in numerous newspapers and publications.

The unique aspect about “Box or Not,” that other games do not have, is the ability it gives each player to build off multiple words during the same turn, as long as the rules are obeyed. One, during each player's turn, they are afforded the ability to create their own word, add letters to the beginning or end of an existing word (if this permits) or add letters on top of existing words to form new words. At the same time, this game affords each player the ability to get rid of one undesirable card and pick up a new one from the deck. Also, each round is played fairly quickly, taking around 10-12 minutes. The game provides each player the ability to add letters to the board in a clockwise or counter-clockwise manner to form or add to the box, where with the right letters and proper vocabulary, a player can use up all of their cards in an interesting and fun way.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this word formation game is for a player to eventually use up all of his/her lettered cards, which do not contain point values, by laying them down. One does not have to lay his/her cards down in one turn. The first player to lay down his/her cards must lay them down to form a four or five letter word. Each subsequent player attempts to eventually lay down all of his/her cards to form words. Players can do this in three ways. The first way is by adding on to the first word laid down, like changing SAVE to SAVES (adding the S). The second way is to change the first word laid down by adding letters on top of it (must keep at least one original letter), like SAVE to GAVE (adding the G over the S). The other way for a player to lay down cards is by making a new word using the first or last letter of the first word laid down building it perpendicular to the first word. These words formed must be perpendicular to any existing word, while maintaining at least one original letter, with the ultimate goal of the configuration to be a square or a rectangle, hence the “Box” in the title. For a new perpendicular to be formed, it must be formed adjoining to a word that is at least four letters long. However, a square or rectangle configuration is not needed to win, it just keeps the game moving and opens up possibilities, hence the “Not” in the title.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Drawing One: This drawing, on page 16, shows that the word SAVE is the first word laid down on the table. Numerous options exist with the first word laid down. A player forms the word below it, SAVES, by adding an S to the end of SAVE. Another option might be to form the word GAVE, by placing a G over the S in SAVE, or the final word at the bottom, GIVER, is formed by placing a G over the S and I over the A in SAVE and by adding an R to the end of the word. However, any time letters are added on top of other letters in a word to form a new word, at least one original letter must be maintained from the previous word, regardless of its length.

Drawing Two: These scenarios, shown on page 17, suppose that the word SAVE is the word on the board at the present time. The furthest move to the left has a player build above the S forming the word SELL. In this case, the word extends up from the word SAVE. The second move, shown in the middle of the page to the right of the combination of SAVE/SELL, has a player build below the E to form the word EASY. The final move, furthest to right, has a player first add an S to SAVE to form SAVES. Then, an E, A, L and S are added below that to form the word SEALS. This is legal, since the cards must only form a word in one direction, not both. Also, once the S was added, the other letters could also be added to start the formation of the box.

Drawing Three: Drawing Three is located on page 18. This example shows how a player can form multiple words in one turn. First, the player forms SIN as a perpendicular extending up the left side of the word SAVE. Then, going in a counter-clockwise direction, the player adds an S to the end of SAVE to form SAVES. If, in theory, they also held the letter O, they could add that above the added S to form SO. Regarding the direction of play, a player can either add words in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. However, once a player chooses a direction, they must continue in that same direction during their turn.

Drawing Four: This diagram, on page 19, builds from the last example. SAVE is the first word down. A player then adds an S to the end of SAVE to form SAVES. Then, working off of the S, they build SALT going upwards. Finally, they add an O to the T in SALT to form TO. They go in a counter-clockwise fashion to form these words, and the new perpendicular can be built from it since it is at least four letters long.

Drawing Five: These scenarios on page 20 are shown to display that when a perpendicular is formed, it can be less than four letters long. In the first example, an O is added below the S to form SO. In the second example, R and R are added above the E to form ERR. Finally, in the third example, an R and A are added above the E in SAVE to form ERA. However, a new perpendicular cannot be added to the end of the words SO, ERR, and ERA because they are not four letters long.

Drawing Six: Drawing Six is located on page 21. Looking at the set up to the left, SAVE is the first horizontal made. After that, SELL is formed as the first vertical. The word SELL is four cards long, so a new horizontal is formed off it. Therefore, the word LOW is formed in the same direction as the word SAVE. A player can do this in the same turn as long as the words are formed in a sequence, in this case going in a counter-clockwise direction. It need not be the same number of cards as SAVE. In the example to the right, the word SAVE is the original horizontal. The first vertical formed is SOCK. Once that is formed, a new vertical is formed at the end of the word SAVE, EASY.

Drawing Seven: The main point to this drawing, which is on page 22, is that cards can be added on top of BAD to alter it, and/or cards can be added to it to increase its length, i.e. BAD-BAND. However, its length can not extend past that of the dimensions of GIVER. This would not enable the box to be formed, and is not allowed. Also, if BAD is extended in some way to connect to the word RED on the right, the new word must be legitimate and letters must be added to RED to ensure a new word is formed in that direction.

Drawing Eight: Drawing Eight is located on page 23. This is an example of how the box can be completed. First, an S is added to the end of SIN to form SINS. Next, since it is a four-letter word, a horizontal can be built. An A and L are added to connect it to the T at the end of the perpendicular EXIT to form SALT. At this point the box is complete.

Drawing Nine: This example, on page 24, shows building in sequence once the box is complete. First, an I and N are added over the A and V in SAVE to form SINE. Next, a U and N are added over the O and A in SOAK to form SUNK. Then, still going in a counter-clockwise fashion and working off of the horizontal word on the bottom, a U is added over the A in TASK to form TUSK. Note that this procedure can go in a clockwise direction if the player wanted to.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The rules for Box or Not are as follows:

This game is played round to round. The first player to use up all of their cards in a round receives four points. The player with the least number of cards left receives two points. If there is a tie between players for least cards left, all tied players receive two points apiece. The game is played round by round until a player has amassed 12 points through all of the rounds. Also, the player in each round (if anyone does this) to complete the “box” receives a one-point bonus for that round, regardless of the outcome of the round.

A minute time period will be given to each player on their turn to lay their cards down. Some type of timer will be used to keep track of this time period for each player. Once the timer has run out, the player can no longer lay down his/her cards. Also, the player can end on his/her own accord before the minute time limit has elapsed if they cannot find any more moves.

The following are the played letters and how many of each exists. Remember, no letter is assigned a point value. The only way a player can win a round is to use all of their cards.

A - 10 B - 2 C - 3 D - 5 E - 13 F - 2 G - 4 H - 9 I - 9 J - 2 K - 2 L - 4 M - 2 N - 6 O - 8 P - 2 Q - 3 R - 6 S - 4 T - 7 U - 6 V - 2 W - 2 X - 2 Y - 4 Z - 2

Each round a player deals all players, including himself/herself, 8 cards, dealing in a clockwise fashion. The dealer deals to himself/herself last. The player immediately following the dealer is the first to go in that round. After that, play continues in a clockwise fashion. In the next round, the next player clockwise from the previous round's dealer deals.

To begin the game, the first player to lay down his/her cards must form a word either four or five letters in length. Following this action, each subsequent player to go has numerous options. The order of the word does not matter, i.e. SAVE or EVAS (save reading to the left) is legal, as long as it is a word in one direction. This holds true for all other words. The following is a detailed summary of the game options:

a.) Add letter or letters to the first word laid down to form a new word.

SAVE - - - SAVES or GIVE - - - GIVER or RUN - - - RUNNING

b.) Add letters on top of the first word to form a new word.

SAVE - - - GAVE (G over S) or FILE - - - FILTER (T over E plus ER)

Note: new words formed can be in either direction, as long as they are a valid word. However, to add cards on top of a word, at least one original letter must remain from the original word.

Players can keep adding onto the first word laid down in the fashions described above. However, they can also begin to form totally new words playing off of the word laid down at that moment. They can do this by using either the first or last letter of the word on the table at their turn. They can extend a new word off of the first or last letter in a perpendicular direction to the word on the table. Again, new words only need to be a valid word in one direction; they do not have to be words in both directions. There is no minimum number of cards that can be added, meaning words like SO and ERR can be formed as perpendiculars. A few examples below, using SAVE as the word on the table at that moment.

The above are all legal moves and possible configurations.

c.) Once one perpendicular is formed, numerous other moves are possible.

First and foremost, new letters can be added on top of the original horizontal word, as long as it remains a word and it maintains at least one original letter. At the same time, new letters can be added on top of the new perpendicular to form new words, as long as the rules aforementioned are obeyed. At the same time, letters can be added to increase its length forming a new word. Some examples below:

The above are all legal moves and possible configurations. In the first, a G is placed over the S in SAVE to form GAVE by one player, while another player adds an S to EXIT to form EXITS. In the second example, one player adds an S to the end of SAVE to form SAVES, while another player adds an A over the E and an E over the L in SELL to form SALE. In the final one, an L and D are added to SO to form SOLD and another player forms SITES from SAVE by adding an I and T over the A and V and adding an S to the end of the word.

In the examples, however, it must be noted that a word cannot be increased in length, or a new word cannot be formed to a point where a box formation is impossible. A few examples are shown below. These are impossible configurations, since the formation of a box is impossible.

In the first, the S is added to the end of GAVE and an I is placed over the E to form GIVES. But, the word GIVES extends past the perpendicular EXIT, which makes it impossible to form a box, if a player wanted to do that. The second example is not possible because the perpendiculars extend in opposite directions, where a box can no longer be formed.

Once a perpendicular is laid down on one end (either the first or last letter) of the first horizontal, a new perpendicular can be formed on the other end and the length of the word does not matter. An example below:

In the first example, once EXIT is formed as one perpendicular at the end of the word SAVE, SALE is formed as a new perpendicular at the beginning of the word. In the other one, once SELL is formed at the beginning of SAVE, ERA is formed at the end, even though it is not four cards long.

Once a vertical word at least four letters long is formed, a horizontal word may be formed off that word in the same direction as the first horizontal word formed on the opposite end of the game. Remember, a new word must be formed in a direction where the formation of a box is possible. For example:

Once the word SELL is made as a vertical, it is at least four cards long, so a new horizontal may be formed off of it, on the opposite end and in the same direction as the original horizontal. The word LEVEL is formed. It need not be the same number of letters as the original horizontal. The word LEVEL is formed in the same direction as SAVE, and a box could still be formed in future turns.

However, the following is an illegal move.

The word DOT cannot be formed as a perpendicular, because the words SOD and SITES are not the same length. To form a box, two sides opposite of one another must be the same length. In this case the formation of a box is impossible, since SOD is three letters long and SITES is five letters long.

Formation of the “Box”

Numerous situations can arise during this game where the “Box” from the title can be formed.

Three sides have already been built, all connected of course. This can be done if the two perpendiculars extending from the same word are at least four cards long and both the same length. It must be noted again that whenever a player forms the box, regardless of the outcome of the game, they receive a one point bonus for that round. For example:

Since SELL and EARN are at least four cards long and the same length, the word LOAN can be formed, thus completing the “Box” in the title of the game. Once this is done, letters can still be added on top of any word, and the rules remain the same.

Here is another configuration.

Although SELLS is longer than EAT on the other side, the word SCAR can be added to the end of SELLS. However, it cannot be longer than SAVE on the bottom, because at that point the formation of a box is impossible. Also, note that SELLS is at least four cards long, actually five. Next, the word EATER is formed to connect SCAR and SAVE, thus completing the box.

One other configuration is possible.

Originally, the configuration has SAVE with SELLS and EX extending from it. Next, the word SCAR is formed across, and the word RA is then formed extending down from the R in that word. Finally, another player forms the word ENTER between the E and R to complete the box.

Challenges—A player may challenge another player's word (s) they have produced, using a dictionary. If the challenger wins, the player who placed down the cards takes their cards off and loses their turn. If the challenger is incorrect, they still keep their turn but must pick up one extra card (from the top of the deck) as a punishment.

To begin the game, each player is dealt 8 cards. The remaining cards go in the middle of the table, face down with one discard facing up.

Before a player has gone out (signaling the end of that round), here are a player's options.

a.) Pick up card laying face up next to deck, put one of their other cards face up in its place.

b.) Pick up top card on pile facing down, put it back face up as new discard.

c.) Pick up top card on pile facing down, put one of their other cards face up as new discard.

Proper nouns, names, contractions, acronyms or anything that begins with a capital letter are not valid words.

In regards to adding letters on top of and/or to existing words, if multiple words are formed in one turn, at least one original card must be maintained in each word formed, and as the words are formed, they must go in sequence, meaning either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Going in sequence means as one new word is formed, by either placing letters onto or adding to the end or beginning to make longer, the next word formed by this method must adjoin to the previously altered word. For example, if the bottom word of the box is altered, one of the two vertical words must stay the same. After one of the vertical words is altered, the horizontal at the top of it can be altered, if need be. Also, the only way to continue this trend is the words must be touching, like the below example:

First, SAVE can be altered. Once this is done, SELL can be altered, however, it cannot be increased in length. After that, LAKES can be altered. Note LAKES can be increased in length if need be, because it is not bound by the formation of the box yet. This represents a clockwise direction of the adding sequence.

However, the following example needs to be shown.

The word DOT could be altered to the word BID, by adding a B over the T and an I over the O. Or, the top horizontal of the box could be completed by placing an L over the T and adding a T after the L to form the word DOLTS. The top horizontal cannot be increased in length, due to SAVES being the bottom horizontal.

Also, when adding letters in a sequence to go around the box, a player may not add two cards to the same spot without going completely around the box one time. For example, if going around in a counter-clockwise sequence and an A is added over an E to alter a word, the player during that turn could not add another letter over the E (which was added over the A) to alter that word, unless they went through a complete sequence around the box and were back to where they started, the E in this case. 

1. The part of this game that needs to be protected by a patent is the idea of the formation of the “box”. The way in which a sequence (either clockwise or counter-clockwise) is executed where letters can be added to the beginning or end of a word to extend its length, and/or on top of letters in the word, to form, or eventually form a box configuration (as long as all rules are obeyed) is unique to this game, and must be protected by the patent requested. The other part of this game that needs to be protected by a patent is the way to decide a winner for the game. A player wins the game by amassing 12 points, wherein the first person out in each round gets four points for the round, and the player(s) with the least number of cards left get(s) two points. Also, a one point bonus is awarded to whomever (if anyone) completes the box. 